JANICE WONG went to Thailand for a spa session and a teeth-whitening treatment and came back beaming MUCH has been written about Bangkok's burgeoning health tourism industry.
However, I was not completely convinced about their hospitality and technology standards until I had two procedures done there last weekend.
Health Aesthetics, an agency set up by two Singapore doctors to provide cross-border health retreats, arranged a spa session for me.
I was initially apprehensive, recalling the last Thai massage I had - at a dingy parlour near Patpong.
When the company's hired limousine pulled up at Divana Spa located on 25 Sukhumvit Road, I heaved a sigh of relief.
Divana, located just five minutes from the busy Asoke Skytrain Station, is an oasis in the heart of the hectic city because it is surrounded by almost an acre of tropical garden.
I was met by female staff dressed in classy northern Thai style. A cup of warm herbal tea and a cold towel with a frangipani by the side was waiting.
Divana prides itself on formulating herbal concoctions for different skin types from its own organic garden.
I picked the sensational package for dry skin which consists of a foot and body scrub and full body massage. The two-hour session costs 2,350 baht (S$95).
The masseuse thoughtfully asked what my desired massage pressure was and which areas I wanted her to concentrate on. Soft music was piped into the treatment room, which comes with an individual steam room and bathtub.
The massage left me feeling like a new person.
The next day, I visited Thantakit Dental Centre for laser teeth whitening. As I walked into the posh, sterile-looking clinic, I suddenly felt self-conscious, as if I was starring in the reality TV show Extreme Makeover.
The dentist peered into my mouth and gave her approval - my teeth were already quite white, she said, and only needed slight improvement. Yippee, my regular dental checks were paying off.
She applied a blue bleaching gel on my teeth and then directed a light beam onto them.
My tongue felt hot and uncomfortable. Thank goodness for the distraction - a movie played for me on a wall-mounted TV screen.
Luckily, it was all over in an hour. There was a stabbing pain each time I sucked in cold air, but the sensitivity subsided in a few hours.
My only gripe was having to swear off coffee and other dark-coloured drinks for a week. As soon as I was allowed my caffeine fix, I couldn't stop grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Health Aesthetics' three-day, two-night laser teeth whitening tour package starts at $650, excluding airfare. For more information, see www.healthaesthetics.com
